Six killed in Russian earthquake

At least six people were killed and dozens of hospitals, schools and other buildings damaged when a strong earthquake rattled Chechnya and other parts of Russia’s North Caucasus today, emergency officials said.

The quake hit at around 1pm (0900 Irish time) and was centred north-east of the Chechen capital, Grozny, Russian emergency officials said. The US Geological Survey said the tremor had a magnitude of 5.3.